Lawmaker looks to inmates to cut down trees

Oklahoma is continuing its fight against the invasive eastern red cedar tree.

The tree, which is common in Oklahoma, is extremely flammable due to its tree oil.

This is an Oklahoman problem, state Rep. Richard Morrisette said. I know we can tackle this in the upcoming session.

Morrisette is recommending cities and local municipalities partner with the Department of Corrections and make use of non-violent inmates to do the work. He believes their labor can offset the cost of tree removal.

The city of Owasso has implemented similar practices.

Weve partnered with DOC since 1991, John Feary said.

Some people have expressed concern over the use of inmates but lawmakers and Feary said, if done correctly, there is no public safety threat.

No inmate is left alone unsupervised. Theyre checked every 30 minutes, Feary said. All the inmates and the workers that I've had interaction with, none of them are violent offenders and they dont have flight risks.

Lawmakers continue to monitor the eastern red cedar situation and continue to brainstorm ways to eliminate the estimated 442 million trees in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma County has not made use of inmates to remove any of the trees but it is currently participating in a program to remove red cedars.

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Lawmaker looks to inmates to cut down trees